By now, the off-the-record comments and stories are bleeding into news coverage of the Ian Cole saga. You no longer have to read between the lines to know the situation comes down to a clash, or difference, between Cole and head coach Mike Sullivan. These things happen on every team, in every league, at every level. However, for the good of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ian Cole and Mike Sullivan must make up, now.

The Penguins may trade Ian Cole, but it would be nearly impossible to replace Ian Cole.

On the ice, Ian Cole is a stalwart, a guy who will block heavy shots with his jaw if he must. He is to the Penguins defensive corps what Patric Hornqvist is to the forwards. He plays hard, physical and will bleed for his team. Those types of warriors are precious commodities, especially when they have the best shot suppression statistics on the team. (Read yesterday’s column for more on that).

Teams with defensemen like Ian Cole, who make only $2.1 million, tend to hang on them. Those types of players aren’t flashy, or all-stars, nor do they get much attention, but…they win.

The collision of Ian Cole and Sullivan is not entirely surprising. Cole is a colorful guy who enjoys life. Who else took a picture of the Stanley Cup with Star Wars Storm Trooper? And we are pretty sure we don’t want to know why he’s washing the Stanley Cup with a garden hose, but we’re sure it was a good time.

Mike Sullivan: Leader

Mike Sullivan is a leader, as much as a coach. What elevates Sullivan to the top tier of NHL coaches is his combination of tactical acumen and leadership. Matt Cullen called Sullivan “the best X’s and O’s coach I’ve ever been around.”

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Sullivan’s leadership does not need much examination. Simply, with his barking voice and intensity, he is able to herd cats. Remember the disorganized Penguins before Sullivan arrived?

The inmates ran the asylum for several years (and have traditionally run the team in this city), but within weeks, Sullivan had the entire organization following his lead. He gathered big-time players with big-time egos and grinders to make history.

Simply getting his team on the same page was a task which other professional coaches had tried and failed.

Sullivan was John Tortorella’s assistant coach for seven years. Tortorella is somewhat infamous for carving players out of the room. Sullivan has not done so, to this point, in his tenure with the Penguins. Though Sullivan became combative with the media hoard at practice, Tuesday.

“I think sometimes you guys make it up as you go,” Sullivan told reporters. “I don’t know where this stuff comes from.”

Well, perhaps it isn’t an issue to Sullivan. However, Ian Cole’s agent is reportedly assisting in the effort to find a trade. That’s not a common occurrence and lends credence to this being a legitimate internal issue which must be resolved quickly.

Who’s to Blame?

It doesn’t matter.

For the good of all involved–the team, the player, and the coach–Cole and Sullivan must patch up their differences. The Penguins defense, which has been one of the worst units in the league this season can ill-afford to lose it’s best defensive zone presence. And Sullivan can ill-afford to show weakness, especially to this crew which can chew up and spit out any coach.

Stanley Cups are won with many ingredients, but always a few players like Cole.

Someone has to, at very least, soften their stance. In such cases, the player should make an effort with the coach to preserve the chain of command, and the coach should be receptive to it. Stubbornness may feel good in the moment, but it doesn’t usually help either.

Sidney Crosby could also play a role as an intermediary. Crosby certainly carries considerable weight with management and thus the coaching staff. As the captain, he can and should get in the middle of this situation (if he already hasn’t).

If neither bends, then both sides will be diminished. They need to make up, now.

6 Comments

Tiny

November 29, 2017 at 1:53 pm

I hope he stays but I was thinking just like stated in this read that yea indeed Sidney should intervene to reunited them plus Cole should have a dicussion to make relationship better with GMJr as well to stay because It seems like Cole and Sidney do have a good relationship from what I observed on/off the ice and the Pens cant afford to lose him especially with the bad defense defficiencies this year.. Yea they do need depth scoring but Cole is cheap defense you keep .. The mistake was signing Hunwick…I would keep Cole for a cheap 2 to 3 deal next year..Big mistake for the Pens… I rather them trade Hunwick with Sheary or Hags even tho I love Hags but he doea everything except get pucks through the net..

I get a kick and aggravartd by this article.Your saying this one should do this..The other one should do that and so on.Who are you to say who should do what when you don’t have any legitamte facts of what is going on behind thre scenes. None of us do.Unless you were actually given the story by one of the two or the GM.If so say so. Cole is going to be and URFA and likelly will price himself out.Maybe the dis content is with the negotiations not going in the direction Cole’s agent would like. A few games back i read Horns left is a tither.Who is to say i,it might be a dressing room thing.Am sure talks to Cole as he does and has done with other players.Perhaps to no avail.Maybe it is about Coles penalties.Maybe he is not serious enough in the dressing room after a bad game with his loose personaliy. Lots of maybes.So to say who should do what is irrespossinble journalism unless you have concrete facts.And Sullivan can still care naout his players .but is the boss and expects ceratin actions at certain times.Amd he is not wrong.Players are paid millions of dollars to show up most nights and play hard and the right way..Yes a bad game omce in awhile is human.But for the most part if you don’t like to work then stay home.Fans pay hard earned dollars to be entertained with effort even if losing. Attitude is a big part of the game.So if Sullivan said something Cole didn’t like,or Cole got flippant.get ocer it.If you can’t handle the heat.Stay out of the kitchen.And i really like Cole.But Sullivan is the boss. This recent generation of players some have to be handled with Kit gloves.Ask Scotty Bowman if he did that.Respect yes on both sides. But tip toeing throuh the tulips no. Also the Pens need a god centre and you have to give to get.A lot of teams are looking for defence..Undortunaltely Cole maybe the peice all are after.After winning back to back cups GMJR can afford to gamble.The. perhaps add another defensman at a later date or even in a Cole trade.It is a business❗️❗️❗️

You’re certainly entitled to your emotions, but you would be wrong to say we don’t know what is going on. I’ve been around hockey for a long time, including working on the inside. I’ve seen my share of these play out from the other side, too.

Cole is our only guy left out of Bones , Kunitz, and Cullen who play that My Rangers style of block shots first mentality. I also would like some scoring depth on the 3 rd line but giving up your defensive backbone is too much. Now if they would get back a defenceman that’s acceptable. We will see what J.R has in store for this team but I do trust him. How could you not. Look at what they wrote about the trade of Simon Despres for Ben Lovejoy. Turned out fantastic.